


If You Could

by sandersonsister



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fix-It, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-12 15:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15342501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandersonsister/pseuds/sandersonsister
Summary: The trials are over and Thomas is in the Safe Haven...but all is not well. Not when every movement he makes reminds him of what he lost. When a strange woman washes ashore and asks him what he would change if he could, the options are endless. He didn't expect to wake up in the Glade. He didn't expect his friends to be alive. But there he was. There they were. What does he do now?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, this is a kind of mashup between the books and movies. I like them both so I'm basically taking the movie universe and adding in or changing a few pieces of it from the books as well. I hope you enjoy it!

_“If you could redo it, what would you change?”_

The words rang through Thomas’s head for days. There were many things that he would change if given the chance. Many things that he wished had never happened. Things that he could have done better. But the idea was impossible.

 

Why was he even dwelling on this?

 

They were just some words spoken by a woman that was already half dead. A woman that had mysteriously washed up on the beach one afternoon, a woman that had immediately been sanctioned and questioned. A woman that wasn’t expected to last the night.

 

A woman that had ignored every single person in the room except him.

 

And the only thing she had done was ask one simple question.

 

_“If you could redo it, what would you change?”_

None of them had received an answer to where she came from, who she was, or how she seemed to know Thomas. She just continued to stare at him, her dark eyes boring into his own, before she finally fell into unconsciousness.

 

That was three days ago.

 

She hadn’t woken since.

 

But that didn’t stop the words from replaying in his mind over and over again.

 

If he knew then what he knew now, what would he change? He would have fought against WICKED from the beginning. He wouldn’t have helped Teresa create the maze. He wouldn’t have put his friends inside and watched them die one by one. If that was impossible, he would have tried to help them escape. He wouldn’t have had so many casualties.

 

He would have saved Newt.

 

Just the thought of the boy had pain stinging Thomas’s chest. He closed his eyes tightly and fought against the memories that wanted to push to the forefront, to the thought of those last few minutes. To how if he had just held the other boy off for a few more seconds, Newt would be here with them.

 

Not rotting away somewhere unknown.

 

Or worse.

 

Thomas shook the thought from his head and tried to focus on the task in front of him. Minho was out hunting with his group at the moment and Thomas was left doing a quick inventory of their supplies. None of them wanted to send someone out of the Safe Haven to the mainland to do a raid but it might be necessary soon.

 

They were mostly self-sufficient but there were some things that they didn’t have the skills, or the knowledge, to create themselves. Medicines were one of those things. Eventually, there wouldn’t be any left to scavenge and they would be left without.

 

He hoped that day wouldn’t come anytime soon.

 

_“If you could redo it, what would you change?”_

 

His mind went to Teresa. Teresa, who he had once cared for so deeply. Teresa, who had betrayed them. Teresa, who was the reason Minho had been taken WICKED. The reason that Minho found it hard to trust, even here in a place that was considered safe. The reason he, Sonya, Aris, and so many others woke up screaming each and every night. Teresa, the reason that Thomas had led a raid against the WICKED. Teresa, the reason that Newt was bitten. The reason that Newt died.

 

Teresa, the one person that had figured out the cure.

 

Teresa, the person that had died saving him.

 

Did that make up for the rest of it?

 

But she had created a cure. A cure that was to be used on Newt. A cure that hadn’t made it to the other boy.

 

A cure that Thomas still had in his belongings.

 

A cure that contained Thomas’s blood. The blood running through his veins.

 

If Thomas had gotten his memories back, like Teresa had begged him to do, would he have been able to create the cure? Thomas and Teresa had trained together at WICKED. Had worked together.

 

Could he, somewhere in his locked memories, have the knowledge to help them now?

 

He tried to think back to his first day with the Right Arm. To when Mary was still alive. Alive and making the cure in front of him. Of course, she hadn’t known it was a cure. She just thought it was temporary relief, something that would buy Brenda a few more months.

 

She hadn’t known about Thomas’s blood.

 

It wasn’t until much later, after Mary was already dead, that everyone realized that Brenda had never needed another injection.

 

By that time, it was too late.

 

But could Thomas remember enough to recreate what he had seen Mary do?

 

He let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. What did it even matter? They hadn’t had an incident since they arrived at the Safe Haven. Those that were sent out to scavenge would be those that they knew were immune. Thomas would be going, no matter what Minho or Vince argued. So why was this suddenly so important to him?

 

_“If you could redo it, what would you change?”_

 

“All of it,” Thomas whispered to himself, flashes of his dead friends appearing in his mind, playing like some sort of montage. “I’d change all of it.”

 

That was the last thought he had before a loud explosion rocked the island. Thomas’s sensations consisted of a bright flash of light, a horrible pain in his head, and then darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Thomas groaned as he blinked his eyes open. What had happened? He felt like he had got hit in the head with –

 

Why was he moving?

 

He sat up quickly and couldn’t help but gape at his surroundings.

 

He knew this box. He knew the long shaft it was hurtling up.

 

He knew those doors.

 

The doors flew open and Thomas held up a hand to block the brilliant light. A light that felt to artificial, a light that wasn’t the blazing heat that scorched the earth. The sun that he had felt for the past few years.

 

This was different.

 

The box came to an abrupt halt. Thomas stared up in shock. He… he didn’t understand. This wasn’t…was he dreaming? That had to be it.

 

A nightmare.

 

Laughter. Footsteps. And then Gally, a younger Gally, was jumping down into the box and gripping the front of his shirt. “Game on, Greenie. Rise and shine.” Thomas was yanked to his feet and then hauled out of the box. Gally tossed him onto the ground, a ground covered with _grass_ , and Thomas looked up as the various bodies stood around him laughing and teasing. This couldn’t be real.

 

…could it?

 

_“If you could redo it, what would you change?”_

Thomas just stared up at the group. Frypan. Gally. Zart. Winston. So many that he had never learned the names of. And…Newt.

 

Newt was standing in front of him, looking down at him with that teasing smirk.

 

Right in front of him.

 

Thomas pulled himself to his feet and broke free of the group, running a few feet away and skidding to a stop. This couldn’t…this wasn’t…

 

What the _frack_ was happening?

 

“We got a runner!” Someone screamed from behind him and Thomas remembered what had happened right after those words. But he wasn’t moving this time. He had already stopped as he stared at the massive walls surrounding a familiar area.

 

The Glade.

  
The Maze.

 

He didn’t _understand_.

 

Thomas’s head began to ache and the cheering boys made their way toward him, the order coming for him to be thrown into the slammer.  Two boys he didn’t remember, and how guilty _that_ made him feel, grabbed his arms and pulled him toward the pit. He was thrown inside and Thomas sank to the ground. He buried his head in his hands. This couldn’t be real. It wasn’t _possible_. There was no way, absolutely no way, he was back in the Glade.

 

It just didn’t make sense.

 

Was everything up until now a dream? Some sort of trick by WiCKeD? Had they somehow implanted all of that in his mind? So he could see how his choices affected the outcome of…everything?

  
Was that even possible?

 

“Hey,” a voice said as someone came to stop in front of the closed doors. Thomas’s hand fell to his sides as he looked up through the ‘bars’.

 

Alby.

 

_Holy shi-_

“Hey there, green bean,” the slightly older boy said as he stared back at Thomas. “You’re not gonna run again, okay?”

 

Thomas’s mouth opened but no sound made its way out. Those words were the same exact words the other boy had said to him.  So not a dream then.

 

But the only other option was…

 

…not possible and Thomas wasn’t even going to entertain the idea.

 

The lock clicked and Thomas watched warily as Alby pulled the door open and kneeled down in front of the doorway. He cleared his throat and said, “my name is Alby. Can you tell me anything about yourself? Who you are, where you came from? Anything at all.” Thomas almost responded. Almost. But…it would be odd if he could answer that, right? He hadn’t been able to remember. Not at first. None of them had. If he answered, he might find himself locked in here until he died of starvation or something.

 

“No,” Thomas said lowly, not meeting the other boy’s eyes. Hopefully he would just think that Thomas was frightened, like he had been the first time.

 

The first time…

 

No. He wasn’t thinking about that.

 

“Can you tell me your name?”

 

“No,” Thomas said once again, staring down at his hands. “I- can’t remember anything.”

 

“It’s normal,” Alby finally said softly and Thomas looked up to see the other boy studying him. Maybe he hadn’t acted as well as he thought he had. “It happens to us all,” Alby continued as he glanced over his shoulder. “You get your name back in a day or two. It’s the one thing that they let us keep.”

 

 _No it isn’t,_ Thomas thought to himself. _It’s the name they gave to us._ But he answered with another question instead. “What is this place?” That was what he had asked, right? Until he was sure of what was happening, it was best to stick with what he remembered…right?

 

Alby reached his hand toward Thomas, “Let me show you.”

 

Thomas clasped the hand and allowed himself to be pulled from the pit. He blinked once again at the bright, fabricated sunlight. If he didn’t know better, he really would think that it was real.

 

Just like they did.

 

The two started to walk slowly and Thomas found himself glancing around, hoping to see some sort of discrepancy from what he remembered, something to prove to him that what he remembered and what he was experiencing were two separate things. To Alby and anyone else looking, it must seem like he was analyzing his new home. Thomas wanted to keep them thinking that.

 

“We eat here, we sleep here,” Alby started as they walked. “We grow our own food. We build our own shelter. Whatever we need, the box provides.” Thomas clenched his jaw. The same. It was all the same. “The rest is up to us.”

 

“The box?” he questioned, almost distractedly as he laid eyes on Winston yet again. His mind flashed to the last time he had seen the boy. The black veins. The blood. A gun in his hand.

 

The shot that ended his life.

 

“They send them once a month with fresh supplies and a new Greenie,” Alby answered and Thomas made himself focus on the topic of their conversation. “This month that’s you.”

 

“Sent up by who?” Thomas asked. He knew the answer. Knew that these boys didn’t know. But…he wouldn’t be able to get them to trust him if he just suddenly started spouting everything off.

 

They’d banish him into the maze.

 

And they’d be stuck here.

 

“We don’t know,” came the expected response.

 

“Hey, you alright, Alby?”

 

Thomas felt his entire body freeze. That voice…he hadn’t heard that voice since…

 

_“Kill me, Tommy! Please, kill me!”_

Thomas’s mouth went dry and his hands began to shake. He fisted them together at his sides and slowly turned his head to the blond walking toward them. “Green Bean, meet Newt,” Alby said as the slightly shorter boy came to stand beside Alby. “When I’m not around, he’s in charge.” Newt stuck out his hand and Thomas had to swallow hard as he slipped his own into it. The last time the two had touched, Newt had…

 

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re always around then,” Newt teased Alby as the two dropped their hands to their sides. Thomas couldn’t tear his eyes away from the smirking boy. He had that amused glint in his eye, the glint that had slowly faded as time went on. The one that hadn’t been present at all by the end.

 

And then those eyes had gone completely blank.

 

Thomas could feel the blood on his hands. Could hear himself screaming, begging.

 

Could feel his heart being pulling from his chest as his best friend died in front of him.

 

“Listen, that was some dash you made earlier,” Newt said, his eyes focusing on Thomas once more. Thomas forced himself to meet his gaze, to not look away. “You know, for a second, I thought you’d have the chops to be a runner. You know, until you just kind of froze.”

 

“A runner?”

 

“Newt, do me a favor,” Alby said to the British boy, completely ignoring the question Thomas asked. Not that it mattered either way. Thomas knew he wouldn’t be getting an answer and it wasn’t as if he didn’t already know. “Go find Chuck.”

 

The air seemed to leave Thomas’s lungs. Chuck. The boy that had been like a younger brother to him. The one that had died to save Thomas.

 

Chuck was alive.

 

He was here, in the Glade.

 

Maybe Thomas had died. Was this his version of the afterlife?

 

“All right,” Newt said lowly. He shot Alby an indecipherable look but turned his head toward Thomas once more with a grin. Thomas felt his lips twitching upwards instinctively as the other boy strode away.

 

“Look, I’m sorry to rush this,” Alby said as he began to pull Thomas away. But Thomas kept looking back over his shoulder, watching as Newt strode further and further away from him. He…had no idea what was going on but he knew that he would be more comfortable if the other boy was beside him.

 

Like he used to be.

 

“You came up a little late and there’s a lot to do,” Alby continued. “We got something special planned tonight.” Alby turned toward Thomas and then followed his gaze to where the other boy was still looking at Newt. Thomas could see the older boy raising his eyebrows questioningly from the corner of his eye but he didn’t ask why Thomas was staring at Newt like a love struck teenager.

 

Thomas shook his head. Best to let that thought leave his mind. Right now.

 

“Glade’s cut into four sections,” Alby said quickly as they walked. “Gardens, Blood House, Homestead, and Deadheads. You got that?” Thomas nodded quickly and Alby narrowed his eyes for a moment before continuing. “Gardens,” he said, pointing to the northeast corner where Thomas could see the trees. “Where we grow the crops. Water’s pumped in through pipes in the ground.” He then pointed toward the southeast corner. “Blood House. Where we raise and slaughter animals.” He then pointed toward the living quarters. “Homestead. Stupid place is twice as big than when the first of us got here because we keep addin’ to it when they send us wood and klunk. It ain’t pretty, but it works.” He then pointed toward the southwest corner. “Call that the Deadheads. Graveyard’s back in that corner, in the thicker woods. Ain’t much else.” He met Thomas’s eyes once again. “You’ll spend the next two weeks working one day apiece for our different job Keepers. Until we know what you’re best at. Slopper, Bricknick, Bagger, Track-hoe – something will stick. Always does.”

 

Alby led him toward the watchtower. “Hope you’re not afraid of heights,” he said as he began to climb up the ladder. “Come on.”

 

Thomas followed behind him quickly and looked around the wide area quickly. It was the same. All of it, exactly the same. Nothing was different. Even the words and actions of the other boys were exactly as he remembered. So, was it possible?

 

Had he really, somehow, gone back in time?

 

_“If you could redo it, what would you change?”_

 

 

That woman. Was it something to do with that woman? Had she done something?

 

Or had Thomas finally lost his mind?

 

Maybe he was unconscious somewhere and he was playing all this out in his head. Maybe he would wake up and realize that these people, all of them, were still dead. That Newt was dead. Chuck was dead. Alby was dead. All dead.

 

…but maybe not?

 

Even if it was some sort of dream, could he try to change the outcome?

 

“This is all we got,” Alby said from beside him and Thomas had to reign his thoughts back in as he remembered what was currently happening. “We’ve worked hard for it. If you respect this place, you and I will get along just fine.”

 

Thomas found himself staring at the maze doors. Those familiar doors. “What’s out there?”

 

There was a moment of silence and Thomas looked over to see Alby’s stoic face. “We only have three rules. First, do your part. No time for any freeloaders. Second, never harm another Glader. None of this works unless we have trust. And most importantly, never go beyond those walls. Do you understand me, Greenie?”

 

Thomas didn’t respond. He needed to go into the maze again. Needed to show them how they could get out. He would have to gain their trust somehow. Should he just let things play out the way they had before?

 

“Hey, Alby!” Thomas swung around and looked down, his chest growing tight as his eyes landed on a familiar figure. Chuck.

 

“Hey, Chuck! Where you been, man?” Alby turned toward Thomas. “Let’s go down. Chuck will help you settle in for now.” Thomas nodded his head quickly and scrambled down the ladder. Chuck shot him a smile as he came to the ground and then turned his attention toward Alby. “Get him a hammock and get him set up next to you. Keep an eye on him.”

 

“Alright, come on Greenie,” Chuck said with an air of authority that had Alby chuckling and Thomas stifling a smile. Until Thomas arrived, Chuck had been the newest boy in the Glade. He must be feeling a bit superior now. Thomas would let him have it.

 

Chuck pointed out the various buildings as they walked and Thomas just listened quietly. He remembered reminding Chuck that Alby had just given him a tour last time and the other boy had grown bright red and hadn’t spoken again until they began to set up the hammock. But Thomas didn’t feel like stopping him. Not this time. To see Chuck here, so alive, so excited to show off what he knew, Thomas couldn’t put a stop to it.

 

“Chuck, how old do you think I am?” Thomas questioned, repeating one of the questions he had asked the younger boy in his previous lifetime.

 

Chuck stopped talking about the Slicers (Thomas wasn’t really sure what he was saying – he hadn’t been paying that much attention) and looked Thomas up and down. “I’d say you’re sixteen. And, in case you were wondering, five foot nine…brown hair. Oh, and ugly as fried liver on a stick,” he laughed. Thomas gave him a barely there smile. That was the exact same answer that he had received last time. To the word.

 

“Don’t worry. You’ll be all whacked for a few days but then you’ll get used to this place,” Chuck continued happily. “I have.” He smiled happily at Thomas. “I’ll take care of you. I’ve been here a whole month, and I know the place inside and out. You can count on Chuck, okay?” Thomas’s lips curled up just slightly at the words but fell as soon as an image of Chuck jumping in front of him came into his mind. Of Chuck dying on the floor.

 

_“You can count on Chuck.”_

Thomas must have paled or something because Chuck stopped suddenly and looked at him in concern. “Hey, you feelin’ alright? Maybe you should sit or something. I can get you something to eat…”

 

“I’m fine,” Thomas protested but Chuck just stared at him with that worried frown until Thomas sighed and sat against a nearby tree.

 

“I’ll be back,” the younger boy promised before hurrying away.

 

Thomas closed his eyes and leaned his head against the rough bark. He tried to put all of this in order, to make sense of what was happening to him. Could this possibly be real? Or had someone from WiCKeD survived? Had they found them?

 

Or had Thomas finally just lost his mind?

 

Did he really want to know the answer?

 

Maybe he was just going to live out his days in the glade, along with Newt, Alby, Chuck, and all the others that they had lost. But…that couldn’t be right. He remembered seeing Frypan. Frypan was still alive. Frypan was with Minho in the Safe Haven.

 

Unless something had happened to him as well.

 

Maybe he was just as confused as Thomas.

 

Thomas opened his eyes and looked around the Glade. He had never spent much time there but he knew the place like the back of his hand. Not surprising, considering he had created it. And watched the people that lived there day after day.

 

Maybe this was his punishment.

 

“Frypan wasn’t too happy about me invading his kitchen before suppertime,” Chuck said as he reappeared beside Thomas.  The younger boy sank onto the ground and handed Thomas a sandwich. Thomas took a quick bite and savored the ham, cheese, and mayonnaise.

 

Condiments. That was something he hadn’t had in a while.

 

“Thanks,” Thomas said as the sandwich was devoured. “I was starving.”

 

“Told ya it’d make you feel better!”

 

The sandwiches were finished quickly and Chuck stood with his hands on his hips. “Come on. We got to get you set up before Alby or Newt come to check. Don’t wanna make either of them mad.”

 

Thomas’s eyebrows rose. Well, he couldn’t disagree. It was never fun when Newt was angry at him. He should probably at least try to start off on the right foot.

 

“Lead the way.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone likes this story, comment and let me know!

Thomas and Chuck were by the Homestead, Chuck setting up Thomas’s hammock and Thomas watching him with a frown. He had offered to help but the younger boy had denied him, stating that he didn’t want Thomas to fall in the middle of the night and embarrass himself.

 

“It’s basically the same story for all of us,” Chuck said as he tightened the rope. “We wake up in the box. Alby gives us the tour. And then here we are. You’re already doing better than I did. I clunked my pants three times before they got me out of the pit.”

 

Thomas winced at the reminder. That had been a rough start for the other boy, from what Thomas understood later. Many of the Gladers had looked down on Chuck because of that incident – and only those that had survived had thought of him as anything more than a nuisance. Because he died saving Thomas’s life.

 

Thomas closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t remember Chuck telling him this the last time…so maybe…

 

Wait.

 

Hadn’t he…

 

Thomas turned on his heel and quickly walked toward the doors of the maze. If this was some sort of weird test or an afterlife thing, Minho wouldn’t be here. Minho was still alive. And if he wasn’t, he would be just as weirded out as Thomas was.

 

“Dude, where are you going?” Chuck demanded as he ran after Thomas.

 

“I just want to see,” Thomas replied as he walked toward the doors.

 

“You can look around all you want but you better not go out there,” Chuck responded. Thomas nodded his head in acknowledgement but continued to walk toward the doors.

 

It was then that two figures ran through the doors. Minho and Ben.

 

Ben.

 

Shit.

 

Thomas’s mind began to work frantically as Ben, Minho, and Chuck spoke for a moment as the two boys ran toward the Map Room. Ben was alive and had yet to be stung. That meant that there was a possibility to save the other boy.

 

As long as he didn’t go in the maze tomorrow morning.

 

But how could Thomas accomplish that without looking completely insane?

 

“I thought we couldn’t leave,” Thomas said as the thoughts swam within his head. He barely listened to Chuck’s reply but… “You said maze.”

 

“What?”

 

“You just said the maze.”  


“I-I did?”

 

Thomas walked closer to the doors and peered inside. Wasn’t this what he had done that first day? Show an interest in the maze? “What are you doing?” Chuck demanded.

 

“I just want to look.”

 

“You can’t!” Chuck protested. “No one leaves. Especially not now.”

 

“I’m not going to go,” Thomas agreed but he kept his eyes on those doors. He needed to kill a griever to get the key. To kill one, he needed to get into the maze. He would rather Alby not be stung for him to get in there. Maybe he should just run now. They would all think he had died until the next morning. But…last time he had had Minho with him. Would he be able to pull it off on his own?

 

“Hey!” A voice yelled and suddenly Thomas found himself flying backwards from a hard shove on his chest. He hit the ground hard and let out a groan. Right. He had forgotten about that. “We got to stop meeting like this, Greenie,” Gally mocked as he stood over Thomas.

 

“Get off me,” Thomas snapped.

 

“Calm, calm, calm, calm,” Gally said as Thomas scrambled to his feet. A group of boys came running toward them instantly.

 

“Calm down, alright?”

 

Newt was there. Thomas turned to face the blond and felt his shoulders relax instantly. Newt’s eyebrows twitched up when Thomas’s defensive posture loosened as they looked at one another. “Tell me what’s out there,” Thomas said to him, not losing eye contact. Newt opened his mouth but hesitated.

 

“Just trying to protect you, man,” Alby said from beside Newt. Thomas didn’t look at him. “For your own good.”

 

“Let me go in,” Thomas said.

 

“We can’t let you do that,” Newt responded softly, Thomas barely able to hear him over Alby’s comments.

 

But at that point it was too late. Thomas turned and let out an irritated sigh as the doors grumbled and began to close. Sure, he could probably make it through. But to go in there, alone at night, was not something he was keen on doing for a second time. Instead, he just watched with the others as the doors closed and locked into place.

 

“Next time,” Gally commented, “I’m gonna let you leave.”

 

_Please do._

“Welcome to the Glade,” Alby muttered in his ear before turning and walking away. Thomas turned instantly, once again locking eyes with Newt. The boy seemed to be hesitating, his bottom lip between his teeth. “Newt!” Alby said loudly when he realized the other wasn’t beside him. Newt just sighed and shook his head toward Thomas before following after Alby.

 

Alby. Newt’s best friend. Newt was the second in command to _Alby_.

 

Not Thomas.

 

Newt didn’t even know him.

 

Why did that thought make his chest hurt almost as much as a gunshot wound?

 

It wasn’t long after that incident that the bonfire started. Thomas had taken the same spot he had the first time, slightly away from everyone else, as he watched the fire start. They were all so…happy. They might not think they were, not when they were stuck here, but they were definitely happier here than after they escaped. Thomas wondered if that was because of the circumstances outside of these walls or because so many of their friends had been killed to get there.

 

Did he want to get them out?

 

Could he even stop it if he tried?

 

If everything played out the way he remembered, Teresa in the next two days. And she would trigger the end.

 

He didn’t think he could stop that.

 

He wouldn’t even know how to start.

 

He was sitting there, lost in his thoughts, when Newt slid down beside him. Thomas instinctively shifted closer to the blond and had to bite back a curse when he realized what he had done. Hopefully Newt wouldn’t notice. But…well, Newt noticed everything. He might not mention it, but he was sure to have noticed.

 

“Hell of a first day, Greenie,” Newt said casually as they sat there. “Here,” he lifted a familiar bottle and Thomas felt his stomach clench at the sight. He hated that stuff. “Put some hair on your chest.”

 

Thomas hesitantly took a sip from the bottle and gagged immediately. Yeah, just as bad as he remembered. “My God, what is that?” He managed to gasp as Newt chuckled and took the bottle back.

 

“I don’t even know,” the blond responded. “It’s Gally’s recipe. It’s a trade secret.”

 

Thomas glanced over his shoulder to where the boy in question was fighting with some of his friends. “He’s still an asshole.”

 

“He saved your life today,” Newt commented pleasantly. Thomas scowled. He hated it when Newt pointed out things he glanced over so easily. Hated it…but missed it. Warmth grew in Thomas’s chest. “Trust me. The maze is a dangerous place.”

 

Thomas winced as he looked away from the boy. He knew that. He also knew what had happened to Newt in that maze. He had grown so depressed about the fact that there wasn’t a way out that he had attempted to kill himself and permanently damaged his leg because of it.

 

Because of the maze Thomas had built.

 

“We’re trapped here,” Thomas said after a moment. “Aren’t we?”

 

“For the moment,” Newt agreed. That was another thing Thomas had missed. Newt was blunt and to the point. But he cared. About everyone. Everyone except himself. “But, you see those guys?” He asked, turning just slightly so he could point toward Minho and the Runners. “There, by the fire? Those are the Runners. And that guy in the middle there, that’s Minho. He’s the Keeper of the Runners. Now, every morning when those doors open, they run the maze, mapping it. Memorizing it, trying to find a way out.”

 

“How long have they been looking?” Thomas questioned, though he knew the answer. It was better to get all the information so someone didn’t question how he knew it later. That would be hard to explain.

 

“Three years,” Newt admitted.

 

“They haven’t found anything?”

 

“It’s easier said than done,” Newt said with a sarcastic smile. “Listen. Hear that? That’s the maze changing. It changes every night.”

 

“How is that possible?” _Because you made it that way, dumbass._

“You can ask the people who put us in here,” Newt commented. “If you ever meet the bastards.” Thomas flinched and quickly looked toward his hands. He had been the one to put them in there. Even if he doesn’t remember most of it. But he had tried to make it right. Not that it was any sort of excuse. “Listen, the truth is the Runners are the only ones that really know what’s out there. They’re the strongest and the fastest of us all, and it’s a good thing too, because if they don’t make it back before those doors close, then they’re stuck out there for the night. And no one’s ever survived a night in the maze.”

 

Thomas didn’t bother to respond. He knew what happened to those boys. He almost was one of those boys. And he didn’t want to bring it up. He didn’t want that clouded, depressed look to cover Newt’s face. So he just nodded and leaned over slightly, letting his arm press against Newt’s. He swallowed hard at the heat. Heat, because Newt was sitting here, alive and healthy. Well, as healthy as Thomas had ever known him.

 

He didn’t want that to change.

 

“Right, well,” Newt said, clearing his throat and placing his hand on Thomas’s shoulder. “That’s enough for now. Come on. Listen, you’re supposed to be the guest of honor.”

 

Thomas shook his head. He really didn’t like crowds and there was so much to think about. Like how he was going to keep Ben out of the maze tomorrow. “No, I think-“

 

“No, no, come on,” Newt said, getting to his feet and reaching down to grab onto Thomas to try and pull him up as well. “Let me show you around.”

 

“Alby already did that. And Chuck.”

 

“That was the official tour,” Newt said with a mischievous grin. “The unofficial one is much more fun.” He pulled Thomas deeper into the group of boys. “Over there we’ve got the Builders,” he said as he motioned toward Gally and his group. “Very good with their hands, but then not a lot going on upstairs.” Thomas cracked a grin. God he had missed this boy. “And then we got Winston,” he said, clapping said boy on the shoulder as the past. “He’s the Keeper of the Slicers. And we got two Med-Jacks, Clint and Jeff.”

 

“What’s up?” The both greeted as they walked by.

 

“They spend most of their time bandaging up the Slicers,” Newt informed Thomas with a wink. Heat pooled in Thomas’s stomach. He didn’t want that look to fade but…

 

“What if I want to be a Runner?”

 

Newt’s smile fell and he let out a forced chuckle. Thomas felt guilt replace that heat. “Have you listened to a word I just said? No one wants to be a Runner. And besides, you got to get chosen.”

 

“Chosen by who?”

 

Someone slammed into Thomas’s back and he stumbled forward, his body pressing fully against Newt’s. He quickly wrapped his arm around the boy’s waist, keeping them both standing as Newt’s knee gave out. Newt blinked at him in surprise and Thomas released the boy swiftly. He stood up fully and looked behind him to see Gally staring at him. “What do you say, Greenie? Want to see what you’re made of?”

 

The boys all began to cheer “Greenie!” as Thomas stood there staring at Gally. “All right,” Gally said. “The rules are simple, Greenie. I try and push you out of the circle. You try and last more than five seconds.” The boys laughed and Thomas’s eyes narrowed. Truthfully, he and Gally had sparred often while they were in the Safe Haven. And Thomas won more often than not. But…

 

But he hadn’t back then.

 

“Ready?” Gally asked. Before Thomas could respond, the other boy was on him, forcing him backwards. Thomas hit the ground and he scowled. Fine. He stood and ran toward Gally, managing to move to the side at the last second and knock the other boy down. The crowd’s laughter broke off as Gally picked himself up from the ground. His eyes were narrowed and then he came after Thomas once more. Thomas hissed as he was grabbed around the waist and slammed to the dirt, his head smacking the ground. “Ooh!” the boys cheered. Thomas moved, using his feet to force Gally down beside him. Thomas stood and blinked for a moment. He then called out, “Thomas!”

 

“What?” Gally growled as he stood.

 

“My name is Thomas!”

 

The boys began to cheer and yell out his name, much like they had done the first time. Various people surrounded him, clapping him on the back and shouting out congratulations. “Good job, Thomas,” Gally said, somehow moving toward the front of the group. Thomas reached out and grasped the other boys hand, seeing the respect shining in his eyes.

 

At least for the moment.

 

It was then that Thomas wondered if maybe Gally was someone to get on his side. So many things would be different if Gally trusted him.

  
Chuck would have survived.

 

But…would they have been able to get into the Last City if he hadn’t joined the group he had?

 

Could he find another way?

 

If he was able to stop Minho and the others from being taken, would it even matter?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments! I hope everyone reading is enjoying - let me know!

Thomas let out a moan as someone began to shake him awake. He rolled over with a scowl, ready to make a retort to Minho, only to freeze when he saw blond hair and dark eyes.

 

Wait.

 

Thomas sat up quickly, his mind racing over the events from the last twenty-four hours. He was in the Glade. With Newt, Alby, Chuck, and so many others that had been lost.

 

It wasn’t a dream.

 

Or, at least, not one that he had woken up from.

 

“Shh, Greenie,” Newt said as he placed his hand on Thomas’s shoulder. “Don’t wanna be wakin’ Chuckie, do we?”

 

Thomas shook his head silently and climbed out of the hammock. Newt’s brows furrowed for a moment before he shrugged his narrow shoulders. “Come on, Greenie. I’m supposed to show you something before the others wake-up.”

 

Thomas’s brows furrowed. He didn’t remember this. This was a deviation from his past memories. Maybe something had changed? Or maybe this was the proof he needed that he really wasn’t reliving his days in the Glade.

 

The two boys snuck through the rest of the sleeping area, careful not to wake any of the others. Once they came out into the grass area, Newt broke into a run. Thomas blinked in surprise. He couldn’t remember ever seeing the other boy run if they weren’t running for their lives. He knew that Newt was quick – and he had probably been even quicker before his injury – but he didn’t expect to have to catch up to the boy. Newt led him to an area that Thomas had never been near before. His brow furrowed as the two came to a stop. There were small, red lights flashing here and there along the wall. He took a hesitant step forward. Why hadn’t he been shown this before? He looked toward Newt, who was standing a couple of feet away in front of a curtain of ivy. “What are those?”

 

“When you bloody need to know, you’ll know.”

 

“It’s kind of stupid to send me to a place where nothing makes sense and no one will answer my questions,” Thomas muttered back, earning himself a loud laugh from the British boy. Thomas blinked in surprise. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Newt laugh like that.

 

“I like you, Greenie. Now shut it and let me show you something.”

 

Newt took a small step forward and then dug his hands into the ivy, spreading several vines away from the wall. Thomas watching with his mouth hanging open as a small, square window was revealed.

 

Yeah, that was new.

 

“What-“

 

“Wait a minute. You’ll see.”

 

A minute passed. Then two. After several minutes, Thomas began to fidget as his eyes remained fixed on the window. Then it began to change. And Newt spoke. “I needed to show ya why you should never, never want to go out there,” the boy whispered as he stepped back and gestured for Thomas to step forward. Thomas swallowed hard and did so, looking through the window.

 

It was a Griever.

 

They were just as horrifying as he remembered.

 

But it was nothing compared to seeing Newt with the black veins covering his body.

 

“What is it?” Thomas asked, just so he could get Newt talking to him again. So he would be reminded that, for the moment, the boy was here, beside him.

 

“Grievers, we call them. Nasty buggers. Just be glad that they only come out at night. Be thankful for these walls.”

 

Thomas swallowed hard and nodded his head. But he knew that it wasn’t true. Because in just a few hours, Ben was going to be stung. In daylight.

 

He wondered why Newt was showing this to him. He hadn’t done so the last time. But…hadn’t Newt been the one to tell him about the Grievers in the first place? It had been at the bonfire. Yet, he hadn’t done so the night before. Was this why? Because, for some reason unknown to Thomas, Newt had decided that showing him the Grievers was better than just telling him about them? Why would something like that change?

 

Had Thomas done something to make it change?

 

“Look, Greenie, don’t let anyone know I showed you this,” Newt said, letting the vines drop once more. “We usually keep it covered and Alby won’t be happy if he knows. It’ll be our secret, right?”

 

Thomas nodded and Newt let out a sigh. “Right then. Just keep it in mind. That’s why you don’t want to be a Runner. That’s why you want to stay inside these walls. Got it?”

 

Thomas hesitated but ended up nodding as those dark eyes fixed on him yet again. Newt looked relieved. “Good that. Let’s get back before the others wake up.”

 

They walked back toward the Homestead and Newt paused as they saw Alby standing there, his arms crossed over his chest. “Where have you two been?”

 

“Walking,” Newt responded with a grin. Alby’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Right. Greenie, come with me.” Thomas’s eyes flickered toward Newt but the boy just gave a small nod. Alby’s eyebrows rose as Thomas stepped forward after the signal. It was an unconscious move, one that he and Newt had perfected in their time together outside the Glade.

 

One that would seem odd because they shouldn’t know each other well enough to have perfected it.

 

“It’s peaceful, isn’t it?” Alby asked as he and Thomas began to walk. This Thomas remembered. “We lost a lot of boys to fear. To panic. But we’ve come far since then. Established order. Made peace.”

 

Thomas remembered the various names on the wall. Names that he had never known. “Yeah.”

 

“You’re not like the others,” Alby said, his eyes narrowing. “You’re curious. Maybe too curious. But you’re one of us now. And you need to know what that means.”

 

He handed Thomas a knife and pointed toward the stone wall where so many names were written – and so many were crossed out. It made Thomas think of the rock in Safe Haven where they had carved the names of the fallen.

  
Where he had carved Newt’s name.

 

He stepped forward now and added his own name, this time moving it so it rested just below Newt’s on the wall. He finished fairly quickly and stepped back. “Well, I guess it’s official now,” Alby said, taking the knife out of Thomas’s hand. “Head back and get some breakfast. You’ll be sticking with Newt today and start with the Slicer’s tomorrow.”

 

Thomas shuddered but nodded his head. He remembered his day working with the Slicers. It had been horrible but…well, he figured now the sight of blood wouldn’t make him sick like it had done the first time. After all, he’d seen a lot of it in his lifetime.

 

Too much.

 

It was as he was walking back that he saw Minho and Ben running toward the maze. Thomas’s chest tightened. He lowered his head, making it seem as if he was staring at the ground, and began to walk quickly. He got near the two and stumbled, managing to kick Ben’s ankle as he did so. Both boys fell to the ground, Thomas landing on top of Ben. The other boy groaned. “Watch it!” Minho snapped, his hands gripping Thomas’s shoulders and pulling him off of the other boy.

 

“Sorry! I wasn’t watching-“

 

“Yeah, well, pay attention!” Minho growled. He extended a hand toward Ben. “You alright?”

 

“Fine,” Ben muttered, gripping Minho’s hand and letting himself be pulled to his feet. As soon as he did so, he yelled out and fell back to the ground, gripping his ankle. Minho cursed and knelt beside the other boy while Thomas felt a flash of triumph.

 

“What happened?” Newt asked, suddenly appearing beside Thomas and looking down at Ben in concern.

 

“Shank ran into him,” Minho muttered as he poked at Ben’s already swollen ankle. “You ain’t running today. Get to the Med-Jacks and we’ll see about tomorrow.”

 

“Sorry!” Thomas yelped again, though he felt anything but. As long as he kept Ben out of the maze for the day, he wouldn’t be stung.

 

“It’s fine,” the boy hissed out as he was once again pulled to his feet. “Help me back, yeah? Minho, go on. You’re wasting daylight.”

 

Minho rolled his eyes. “You sound like my boss, Shank. We both know that ain’t true.”

 

“Just go.”

 

“Yeah,” he turned and pointed toward Thomas. “Help him, Greenie. We’ll talk about that little stunt later.”

 

Thomas didn’t have a chance to respond before Minho turned and ran through the doors, disappearing inside the maze. Thomas quickly ducked under Ben’s arm and let the older boy rest his arm around his shoulders while Thomas grasped his waist and helped him toward the Homestead. Newt’s eyes narrowed as the two moved past him. “There a reason you didn’t want me in the maze, Greenie?” Ben muttered as the two walked.

 

Thomas looked at him innocently. “Hmm? No? It was an accident.”

 

“Right,” Ben said sarcastically. “You accidently used all your strength to kick me and then push me down. Pretty sure Alby’s told you the rules by now. No harming another Glader.”

 

Thomas didn’t respond. He had thought he had done pretty well with that stunt. Minho didn’t really seem to notice anything amiss. And Thomas didn’t know Ben. Well, he knew the guy had a nice right hook. And what he sounded like when he screamed and begged for his life. But beyond that…

 

If he couldn’t trust himself to tell Newt what was going on, why would he be able to tell a complete stranger?

 

“It really was an accident,” Thomas said yet again. Ben huffed but seemed to let the subject go.

 

The two made their way into the homestead where Jeff and Clint were located. Both boys jumped to their feet when Thomas and Ben hobbled toward them. “What happened?” Clint asked, slipping under Ben’s other arm and helping him toward a chair.

 

“Ran into Greenie. Hurt my ankle.”

 

Clint and Jeff both knelt beside Ben and stared at his ankle. “Well, you ain’t running today,” Clint said after a moment.

 

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

 

“Greenie,” Thomas turned to see Newt standing behind him, his arms crossed over his chest. “Come on. You’re with me.”

 

Thomas shot Ben and the two med-jacks one last look before he turned and followed Newt out of the Homestead. The two walked in silence for a moment before Newt turned suddenly and led the two of them into the Deadheads. Thomas blinked. Weren’t they supposed to be heading toward the Gardens? He distinctly remember them being in the Gardens. But Newt lead them deeper into the trees before stopping. He turned to look at Thomas, his arms crossed over his chest, before turning to look around him. When he saw no one was around, he turned back toward Thomas. “…Tommy?”

 

Thomas sucked in a deep breath. His heart was pounding within his chest and he couldn’t move his eyes from the dark ones staring at him. This… “Newt?” he asked, his voice soft, unsure. Newt’s hands dropped to his sides and he took a hesitant step forward.

 

“I – I might be going bloody mad right now,” Newt admitted, running a hand through his blond hair. “But…Ben…”

 

Thomas’s hands clenched. Right. This was about Ben. He had thought – just for a moment – that there was a possibility that Newt –

 

“It seemed like you purposefully targeted Ben just now,” Newt finally said with a frown. “And…I have no idea why you would do something like that so…” he let out another deep sigh and finally lifted his eyes from where they had been shifting along the grass. “Tommy. You didn’t ask me about the Grievers.”

 

Thomas’s brow furrowed. “What?”

 

“At the bonfire. I said you shouldn’t stay out at night. You didn’t ask why. I thought it was just some sort of fluke but…” he drifted off once more. “That’s why I took you to the wall. If you saw them, I thought you might stay out of the maze this time. But you didn’t even flinch.”

 

_…this time…_

_This time?_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thanks for all the comments on the last chapter! I hope you enjoy the new update...

“This time?” Thomas asked carefully, making sure to watch for signs.

 

He found them.

 

Newt’s hands twitched. He bit his lip. His eyes flickered away for a brief moment, looking over Thomas’s shoulder before they came to rest on him once more. “I- I meant-“

 

“Everything seems the same,” Thomas commented hesitantly. He let his eyes wander down to Newt’s knee. The knee that he made sure not to rest his weight on. The proof that Newt had still jumped. To Thomas, that was all he needed to know that Newt was the same person he had been when the two had met. But…

 

“Hard to change anything when you don’t know how to explain it,” Newt whispered and Thomas’s eyes snapped to his once more. Those brown eyes were filling quickly and Newt blinked as he tried to clear it away. He cleared his throat. “Up until you arrived, everything was the same.”

 

Thomas just stared, his mind processing the words.

 

Then he pounced.

 

He wrapped his arms around Newt’s waist, burying his face in the crook of the other boy’s neck. Newt laughed loudly and wildly, wrapping his own arms around Thomas tightly as the stumbled back a step. “Shit, Tommy! Watch it!”

 

But Thomas just held on tighter, swallowing hard as his throat began to burn. Newt just pressed his own head against Thomas’s, the two holding each other close. Thomas didn’t know what to say. If this wasn’t Newt – _his_ Newt – the boy wouldn’t be letting him do this. Right?

 

“How?” He finally managed to ask, his voice choked as it finally managed to escape his throat.

 

Newt’s head shook. “I don’t – I just woke up. I was…I died, right? I remember dying. And then I was here, right after I jumped of that shucking wall.” Thomas shook at both of the reminders. Of Newt, the knife sliding in and the blood that covered Thomas’s hands. Of the fact that he had been so depressed in the maze that Thomas created that he had actually tried to kill himself. “Hey, Tommy, come back,” the boy said quietly and Thomas snapped back to attention. Newt had pulled away just slightly and was analyzing him. “What is it?”

 

“You died,” Thomas said, confirming what Newt had asked. Newt nodded as acceptance flashed across his face. Thomas hated it. “You died and there was a cure. If I had just been able to stop you for thirty more seconds-“

 

“Wait, what?”

 

“-then you would have been fine and you would have gone with us to the Safe Haven. It’s my fault-“

 

“Like hell it is!”

 

“-and I’m _so sorry_ -“

 

Newt let out a growl and his arms once again tightened around Thomas, bringing the other flush with his body once more. “Listen to me you bloody shank! It wasn’t your fault! Nothing could have saved me from-“

 

“But I could have! It’s my blood, Newt! My blood is the cure!”

 

Newt’s arms fell and he took a startled step back. “Wh-what?”

 

Thomas took a deep breath and his fists clenched at his sides. “Teresa figured it out,” Newt growled again at the sound of the girls name. “She figured it out. Remember Brenda? She never had to have another dose after she was given the antidote with my blood. It _cured_ her. And it could have cured you.”

 

There was silence for just a moment as Newt processed those words. Thomas braced himself, waiting for the explosion from the other boy. He should have known that it wouldn’t come. Instead, Newt slowly nodded his head as his eyes lost focus. “Yeah, yeah that makes sense. But none of it was your fault. You won’t convince me that it was.” Thomas opened his mouth to protest once again but Newt turned back toward him. “Besides, we know now. We can use it next time.”

 

Thomas’s jaw dropped. “N-next… no! There isn’t going to be a next time!”

 

Newt clenched his jaw stubbornly and crossed his arms over his chest. “If we have to do it again, we will. And I will not be sitting out while you and the others-“

 

“Newt, you _died_!”

 

“I bloody well know that!”

 

“I had to live without you for an entire year!”

 

Newt paused and his brows furrowed as though he suddenly had a realization. “Wait. Tommy, why are you here? I died.” Thomas didn’t respond and Newt let out a groan as he buried his face in his hands. “Tommy, if you did something stupid _I_ might kill you.”

 

“I didn’t!” Thomas protested loudly as he threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t even know what happened! I was in one of the cabins at the Safe Haven and then there was this flash of light…next thing I know, I’m waking up in the box.”

 

Newt scowled and lowered himself onto the ground. He gripped Thomas’s wrist and pulled him down beside him. “Start talking. Tell me what happened after I…left.” He shook his head at Thomas’s putelant look. “I’ve been going mad here, Tommy. I really thought I had made it all up. Some sort of delusion or something from hitting my head after I jumped. Then people started coming up from the box, people that I _remembered_. I shucking cried the first time I saw Chuck. And when you came…” he drifted off and shook his head. “Well, let’s just say I was thankful that Alby did your tour. Shuck, I thought I was going to hug you or something stupid like that. But everything for the past _year_ had been exactly the way I remembered it and I thought you would be the same. But then…you took off running, just like before, but you _stopped_. I think I had a panic attack when Alby led you away.”

 

Thomas reached out and wrapped his hand around Newts wrist, giving it a squeeze before he let go. “Yeah, I was panicking too. I had no idea what was going on. If it was some sort of trick from WiCKeD…or if I had finally just lost my mind. Or if I died.” He shook his head. “Maybe I did. Die. I don’t know. I mean, you remember. Does anyone else-“

 

“No,” Newt said firmly. “For the first few months, I gave hints but no one knew what I was talking about. Pretty sure they were seriously worried that I had hit my head or something. But I figured I’d just keep my mouth shut.”

 

Thomas felt realization strike. “You were trying to keep me out of the maze!” He accused as he pointed toward Newt.

 

Newt at least had the grace to look ashamed. “I thought you should know what you were getting into,” he admitted as he avoided Thomas’s gaze and slapped his hand away. “Thought I might stop you from running in there like you did before.”

 

“I saved Alby and Minho.”

 

“Yeah, well, I was hoping they wouldn’t need saving this time.”

 

Thomas paused. “And how were you going to –“

 

“I don’t know!” Newt snapped as he rolled his eyes. “I was going to find Ben this morning to tell him I needed his help with something today so he didn’t get stung and he wouldn’t come after you. But you beat me to it,” he sent Thomas a pointed look that had Thomas’s cheeks heating. “And then when Minho tells us they found the dead Griever, I figured I could-“

 

“You are not going with him,” Thomas snapped, getting to his feet quickly.

 

Newt followed. “I know the maze better than Alby!” He argued as his eyes flashed. “Alby was never a Runner. I was. And I would know that the shucking thing was really alive so I could avoid being stung.”

 

“No,” Thomas said firmly. Terror was singing in his veins. He had lost Newt once. Now that his best friend was beside him again, he wasn’t going to let him do something stupid to get himself killed.

 

“Pretty sure they’ll listen to me,” Newt retorted. “You aren’t in charge in here, Tommy. If I have to go into the maze to protect everyone, I will.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story and I look forward from hearing from all of you!

Thomas didn’t have a chance to respond before Newt turned on his heel and began to walk back toward the Gardens. “Come on, Tommy. I’m sure someone out there is wondering where we are.”

 

“Newt-!”

 

“Not talking about it,” Newt said firmly, getting further and further away. Thomas shook his head in annoyance and jogged toward the blond. “Besides, your girlfriend is on her way, right? We should focus on that.”

 

_…my girlfriend…_

“Teresa?” Thomas asked in disbelief, grasping Newt’s arm and pulling him to a stop. Newt raised an eyebrow at Thomas’s incredulousness.

 

“Who else would I bloody be talking about?” He snapped, pulling his arm out of Thomas’s grip. “I don’t remember Brenda being with us in the Glade, Tommy.”

 

“When did I date Brenda?” Thomas questioned, his brain growing fuzzy. How had they even got on this subject? One second the two were talking about Newt’s stupid plan to go into the maze and the next their arguing over Thomas’s non-existent love life.

 

Newt shrugged and avoided his gaze as he began walking once more. “You two were getting close before I… I just figured you got closer once everything was over.” He stopped once more. “Ah, hell, Tommy. You didn’t even tell me what happened.”

 

Thomas stared at the blond in disbelief. “I’m still not done talking about you trying to get into the maze. You hate the maze-“

 

“Well aware of that, thanks.”

 

“-you told me you get depressed just thinking about it-“

 

“Know that, too.”

 

“-do you really think Alby and Minho will let you go with that leg-“

 

“Stop on about my bloody leg! I can convince them if I have to!”

 

“But you don’t have too!” Thomas snapped, throwing his hands up in the air and taking an annoyed step toward the other boy. Newt had crossed his arms over his chest once more and was scowling in his direction. Thomas refused to break eye contact. The few times that he and Newt hadn’t agreed usually ended in Newt’s favor. But Thomas wasn’t going to give in on this one. “I’m here! I’m the one that killed it last time! I can get us the key again!”  


“I don’t want to watch Alby get stung again!” Newt snapped loudly. “Don’t you get it? You said you don’t want to watch me die again. I feel the same about Alby! I can’t watch him give up for a second time because of whatever the shuck he remembers!”

 

Thomas felt like he had been hit but he didn’t know why. Something in him wanted to scream at Newt, to tell him that it wasn’t the same at all. That him not wanting to lose Newt for a second time was nothing like Newt and Alby. But his brain was telling him Newt was right. Because Alby had been Newt’s best friend. And Newt was Thomas’s best friend. It was the same situation.

 

…so why did he feel as if he just been shot through the chest?

 

“Fine,” Thomas managed to hiss, the word barely making it through his tight lips. “Fine. We’ll figure something out.”

 

Newt was staring at him, analyzing him. He could feel those eyes taking in each and every detail. His arms dropped to his sides and he took a small, hesitant step forward. “Tommy-“  


“Maybe you two can start by telling me what the shuck is happening right now,” a voice called out and Newt and Thomas both froze. They met each other’s gaze in horror before slowly turning their heads to the side.

 

Ben was standing there, leaning against a tree. His eyes were narrowed as they flickered from Newt to Thomas and back again. Thomas noticed that he was putting all of the pressure on his left leg, his right lifted off the ground just slightly.

 

“Ben,” Newt said, his voice shaking slightly. Thomas moved, taking a step closer toward Newt. It was instinct, to get between the two. Newt’s eyes darted toward him and Thomas froze. “Shouldn’t you be sitting somewhere? Pretty sure Jeff and Clint told you that.”

 

“Saw you two headin’ out here,” Ben retorted. “I followed. You two gonna tell me what’s going on? Because what I just saw is making my head hurt.”

 

“What did you see?” Thomas asked carefully. He wasn’t sure how to deal with this. He didn’t even know this guy. Ben had died on his second day in the Glade. But now, thanks to Thomas, here he was. Healthy and staring at the two of them accusingly.

 

“Thought you two were gonna kiss for a minute back there,” he said, using his thumb to gesture over his shoulder. Thomas flushed. “I arrived during your little…reunion, I guess. Heard it all.” His eyes locked onto Thomas. “You did kick me on purpose. To keep me out of the maze today. Because, for some reason, you thought I was gonna get stung.” Thomas saw him pale just slightly as the words crossed his lips. He then looked toward Newt. “And you were doing the same thing. So I wanna know what’s going on or I’m going straight to Alby.”

 

Thomas turned his head just slightly, meeting Newt’s eyes. The other boy frowned and bit his lip but nodded his head slightly. Thomas sighed. “Fine. It’s a long story. And not a happy one. And there’s a chance you’ll think we’re completely insane. But if you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

 

Ben nodded his head, just once, and sank down onto the ground. “Might as well get comfortable, then.”

 

“Newt-“

 

“Already on it,” Newt said, moving around the small area to make sure they didn’t have any other eavesdroppers. Either the human or non-human type. “We’re good. Just talk fast.”

 

So Thomas did.

 

He told Ben about his first time in the Glade. About Ben being stung, about his banishment. About the Griever that had ‘played dead’ and stung Alby. About Thomas and Minho spending the night in the Glade. About Teresa. About her starting the end. He told how they had escaped and how many lives had been lost. About the scorch. About the reason they were placed in the trials. The Flare. Teresa’s betrayal. Minho, as well as many others, being captured. Their attempts to rescue them.

 

And about Newt’s death.

 

Up until that point, Newt had been chiming in every so often when he thought Thomas missed an important detail or event. But now, he focused solely on Thomas. Thomas spoke slowly about the events after Newt’s death. He didn’t want to admit to the devastation that had taken place because of him. Because he had felt as if he had nothing to lose. Not anymore. But he talked and, at some point, Newt’s hand had found its way to Thomas’s. The more Thomas spoke, the harder Newt squeezed. When Thomas told them of Teresa’s death, of how she saved him in those last few moments, Newt let out a sigh.

 

“Bloody woman. Guess I can’t hate her _too_ much.”

 

Thomas’s lips lifted into a half smile but he quickly finished the story. He described the Safe Haven. And then the events that landed him here.

 

“And that’s it,” he said, finally happy to be finished. Ben was staring at both him and Newt with wide eyes and an open mouth. “I told you it sounds insane. But it’s all true. Just wait a few hours and you’ll see that-“

 

“I believe you.”

 

‘-…excuse me?” Thomas asked in shock. He didn’t have any proof. Everything he said could have been completely fabricated. Why the hell would this boy believe him?

 

Ben let out a sigh and leaned his head back against a tree. “I had only been here a couple of months when Newt…had his accident,” Ben said and Thomas’s hand tightened around Newt’s at the reminder. “I wasn’t even a runner at that point. But you were different after that,” he said, his eyes opening as he stared at the blond. “Harder, I guess. But things you said…they way you move, sometimes. It actually makes sense. And, well, this isn’t the first time I heard you say the name Tommy.” The boy shot Newt a smile and Thomas couldn’t help but turn to look at his friend. His friend who seemed to be taken completely by surprise.

 

“Eh?”

 

“You do it all the time. Mutter under your breath. Tommy would be… if Tommy saw this… all of us just though you had an imaginary friend or something,” Ben smirked as he spoke and his eyes moved toward the dark haired boy. Thomas was hiding a grin behind his hand. “Guess he’s not so imaginary.”

 

Thomas let out a snort of laughter. The previous hollow feeling in his chest had disappeared and something light was replacing it. It was interesting to know that, despite him not being here and Newt really having no idea if he would actually appear, the other boy was thinking about his reactions and what he would do.

 

It made him happy.

 

“Oh, stiff it,” Newt muttered, dropping Thomas’s hand. His pale skin was holding a pink tint as he pushed himself to his feet. “Come on. We gotta get going before someone comes to look for us.” Thomas didn’t stand. The amusement faded quickly and he lashed out, gripping Newt’s wrist before he could pull away fully.

 

“We aren’t done talking about-“

 

“Pretty sure we are.”

 

“Newt, you are not going to-“

 

“Oh, the maze thing,” Ben said suddenly, breaking up their argument. He slowly pushed himself to his feet. “I should be okay to run tomorrow. If we come across this Griever that’s playing dead, I’ll tell Minho and Alby that we should leave it be. Just until we’re sure it’s safe.” He shot Thomas a grin. “Maybe I can convince Minho to make you a Runner.”

 

Thomas blinked in surprise but winced as Newt suddenly pulled his wrist from Thomas’s grasp and grabbed his hand instead. He was pretty sure the other boy was going to break some bones. “Tommy doesn’t need to be a Runner for us to-“

 

“Yes I do.”  


Newt whirled around and stood over him, glaring down menacingly. “You have been pitching a fit because of me going into the maze. You think I want you in there?!”

 

“As interesting as this lovers spat is,” Ben said in amusement. “We really do need to go. You two can argue later.” Thomas sent a glare the boy’s way but just received a smirk in response. “You two shucks help me out. If this ankle isn’t healed by tomorrow there’s no way Minho’s gonna let me run.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes, I've been trying to figure out the timeline for this chapter. As you guys know, I've been doing a mixture of the books and movies. But the timeline is different and it's annoying. Lol. So, still a mix but I've basically made my own. Hope you all enjoy the update!

Thomas watched in amusement as Newt worked in the Gardens, earning himself a glare from the older boy. Newt had stated more than once that Thomas could be helping him but Thomas refused. After all, most Greenie’s weren’t expected to work on the first day. He didn’t want to draw attention to them.

 

But, mostly, he thought it was funny.

 

Of course, he wasn’t sure if the glare Newt was sporting was because of Thomas not helping or because of the questions.

 

“Has anyone tried climbing to the top?”  


“Tried it. The ivy doesn’t go all the way to the top,” Newt said, his eyes narrowing once he was sure Zart wasn’t watching him. Thomas fought back a laugh. He and Newt were both aware that Thomas knew the answer to these questions but it would be odd if Thomas didn’t ask _something_. And it was always fun to tease Newt. And now, before Teresa arrives, before all of the drama starts, is the perfect time for it. “And besides, where are you gonna go from there?”

 

“What about the box?” Thomas continued. Newt rolled his eyes. “The next time it comes up-“

 

“We tried that,” Newt cut him off. “The box won’t go down with someone in it.”

 

“What if we-“

 

“We tried it! Twice!” Newt said, finally looking away from what he was working on and facing Thomas fully. Thomas looked down to where Zart was kneeling and saw that the other boy wasn’t focused on them. He stuck out his tongue and Newt shook his head. “Anything you think of, we’ve already tried. The only way out of here is through the maze.”

 

“But-“

 

“Tommy,” Newt said, making Zart’s head shoot up. Thomas figured it was the nickname. “Why don’t you come over here and help us? Get your mind off of it for a minute.” Thomas inwardly scowled. Of course Newt would find a way to get him to work. He knew Thomas couldn’t disagree with Zart watching them. Not if he didn’t want to seem completely useless.

 

He threw away the stick he had been playing with and moved toward Newt was standing. “Nice,” he muttered under his breath.

 

“Punishment for the questions, Tommy.”

 

Luckily for Thomas, it was late enough in the day that he didn’t have to do much before the boys called it a day. Minho ran back through the doors and Thomas let out a sigh of relief when he saw him. He had been somewhat afraid that if Ben wasn’t there to be stung, one of the other boys would be. But Minho seemed unharmed and the other two runners had returned almost twenty minutes ago. All seemed to be unharmed. Newt and Thomas exchanged a relieved glance. They really had no idea what Ben had done the first time around to be stung. Maybe he had ended up somewhere the creators didn’t want him to be.

 

Thomas had to fight back a wince at that thought.

 

That night played out completely differently than the first time Thomas had been here. Last time, he had gone straight to sleep after Ben had been forced through those doors. The Glade had been quiet. All of them had known that Ben was out there, running for his life. And they knew that he wouldn’t make it. Thomas had watched as a group had gone to the wall and crossed his name off. None of them had spoke to him. Even Chuck had hidden in his hammock and kept his silence.

 

But it was different this time.

 

All of the boys were lively, getting food from Frypan and sitting around the Glade as they ate and joked with one another. Some boys were sitting close to another fire. Some had wandered away from the others. Thomas found himself seated beside Chuck, listening as the other boy rambled about his day. Thomas glanced up as someone sat beside him. He should have known who it was.

 

“There’s been no mention of Alby going into the maze,” Newt muttered lowly, so low that Chuck didn’t even pause in his story. “No need for you to go running into the maze like a madman.”

 

“Thanks for that,” Thomas murmured sarcastically, earning himself a broad grin from the blond.

 

The smile faded just slightly as Newt looked toward the fire. “Minho didn’t say anything about a dead Griever, either. As of now, I think most of the things we remember are going to change.”

 

“Hopefully so,” Thomas replied, realizing a moment later that Chuck had fallen silent. He looked toward the younger boy and saw that he was watching Thomas and Newt with a confused expression on his face. It cleared up instantly when he saw Thomas looking.

 

“Well, I’m done. I’ll see you later, Greenie.”

 

“Bye, Chuck,” Thomas replied, Newt giving the boy a short wave. It was only seconds after he left that Newt began to laugh.

 

“Have to admit, Tommy. It’s funny hearing him call you that.”

 

“Slim it.”

 

“Naw, don’t feel like it,” the blond said, shrugging his shoulders. He looked over his shoulder as someone shouted his name. “Alby’s looking for me. Finish eating and get some sleep, yeah? I’m actually gonna make you work tomorrow.”

 

“Of course you are.”

 

“Slicers are waiting for you.”

 

“Seriously, Newt.”

 

Newt laughed once again. He placed his hand on Thomas’s shoulder and squeezed it gently before limping away. Thomas watched him go from the corner of his eye, feeling his stomach fall when he neared Alby. He looked away quickly and concentrated on his food.

 

The next morning, Thomas found himself being led toward the Slicers. Winston, the Keeper of the Slicers, was nice enough to not make Thomas actually kill one of the animals. But Thomas had to watch, his stomach turning, as Winston did so. Within the first hour, they were both well aware that Thomas was not going to be joining the Slicers. Winston sent him out to take care of the animals and informed him that he would be working with another group the following day.

 

In truth, it wasn’t any different than what had happened the first time around. Well, except for him being sent outside to the animals instead of being told to find Newt. Maybe it was because he hadn’t bothered the other boy with all his questions this time. He was pretty sure that the entire reason he had been sent to Newt the first time was because he had driven Winston up a wall.

 

With that, Thomas’s second full day in the Glade was completed. Newt joined him as Minho and Ben both ran in, Ben shooting the two of them a glance as he did so. So Minho had found the dead Griever. A day later than before, but he still found it. Previously, Minho had seen the dead Griever on the same day Ben was stung. Something must have happened with Ben not being there that made that change.

 

But it meant that Alby would want to join the boys in the morning to see the Griever for himself.

 

And Teresa would be arriving on the same day.

 

Perfect.

 

“What’re we gonna do?” Newt asked lowly as he saw Ben and Minho run toward the Runner’s shack.

 

“Hope that Ben can convince Minho and Alby that they need to let it be for now,” Thomas replied. “Hopefully it won’t attack if they don’t get near it.”

 

Newt sighed, obviously not agreeing to the plan, but just nodded his head. “Whatever you say, Tommy.”

 

Neither of the boys were surprised when Alby called Newt over a few minutes later, Minho and Ben beside him. Thomas watched them for a moment before the group disappeared inside. He sighed. He wasn’t sure what the best course was at the moment. He just wanted them all to be safe. And he needed to get into the maze to find a way to get a key.

 

But first, he had to deal with the arrival of Teresa.

 

Thomas didn’t see Newt again that night and he went to his hammock with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He didn’t know Alby well, but he was sure that he was going to be difficult to convince, even if Newt agreed with Ben. And then there was Minho. He wasn’t an idiot by any means. He would probably listen to reason but if he got the idea into his head…well, he was stubborn.

 

Thomas stared up at the sky, looking at the stars. Well, the fake stars. He had to admit, if he didn’t know any better, he would think they were real.

 

He wondered who was in charge of that. Of the sky. Whoever it was, they did a good job.

 

Thomas let out a startled yell as a hand suddenly came into his view, pressing itself against his mouth. His eyes shifted toward his attacker and he scowled against the hand. Newt’s lips twitched. “Everything is fine. Get some sleep, Tommy. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.” The blond’s hand slid from his mouth and up toward his cheek. Thomas gasped at the sensation. But then the hand was gone and Newt disappeared in the darkness.

  
Thomas let out a shaky breath as he shifted in the hammock and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure how Newt expected him to sleep after that but he was going to try. After all, the next day was going to be interesting.


End file.
